AKQA Strengthens Global Leadership to Drive Next Chapter of Innovation and Growth

Left to right: chief strategy officer, Miriam Plon Sauer; chief technology officer, Ben Royce; chief invention officer, Tim Devine and chief transformation officer, Jonathan Bolden

As global brands face increasingly complex challenges, AKQA is strengthening its global leadership team to drive innovation and impact at scale. With four key appointments to its Global Executive Committee, AKQA is enhancing its core capabilities and unifying its expertise into seamless client offerings. This strategic expansion empowers AKQA to guide clients through transformation globally, delivering market-leading solutions with greater agility and depth.

As clients increasingly seek partners who can deliver across multiple markets with a seamless, integrated approach. AKQA is responding by deepening its ability to combine design, customer experience, brand storytelling, business strategy, technology, innovation, and AI into holistic, intelligent solutions. The real magic happens at the intersection of these capabilities when they are applied together in novel ways to drive impact and growth.

The latest leadership appointments reflect this ambition:

● Chief strategy officer: Miriam Plon Sauer returns to AKQA, drawn back by our renewed vision and ambition. Miriam has an impressive track record working with some of the world's most renowned brands, driving strategies that connect creativity with commercial success. She has a unique talent for identifying and nurturing exceptional talent, building teams that push the boundaries of strategic thinking. As chief strategy officer, she will focus on ensuring AKQA remains a trusted growth partner for clients, shaping future-focused strategies that drive meaningful impact.

● Chief technology officer: Ben Royce joins AKQA, as a former Google AI leader dedicated to unlocking business transformation through AI, data, and creative technology. With deep expertise in harnessing AI for scalable and impactful brand solutions, he will lead initiatives that help clients integrate digital and AI-driven innovation into their business models, enabling them to grow efficiently and meaningfully.

● Chief invention officer: Tim Devine is an acclaimed creative technologist, tasked with pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering game-changing solutions to the hardest problems brands face today. His award-winning work spanning projects like Action Audio, RGBlack, The [uncertain] Four Seasons, Serena v Serena? and the Code of Conscience demonstrates a commitment to using technology for societal and environmental good. As Chief Invention Officer, he will lead efforts to develop ground breaking original solutions for clients.

● Chief transformation officer: Jonathan Bolden has been promoted from executive director of transformation, blending strategy, innovation, and transformation expertise. Since joining AKQA in 2016, he has helped clients embrace a growth mindset, moving with speed to outpace competition and create lasting value for consumers and shareholders. A chief transformation officer, he will drive AKQA’s global transformation initiatives, helping clients navigate complex challenges, embrace emerging technologies, and future-proof their businesses.

These appointments will work in close partnership with AKQA’s global chief creative officers Shu Hung, Diego Machado, Peter Lund, and Hugo Veiga to complement AKQA’s creative offering and accelerate the integration of creativity, technology, and strategy across every client engagement.

Stephan Pretorius, AKQA interim chair said, "These leadership appointments mark a pivotal moment for AKQA. As we continue to evolve, we are bringing together some of the brightest minds in strategy, technology, invention and business transformation to drive forward a more integrated and future-focused proposition. Our clients are increasingly looking for partners who can support them globally with seamless, multidisciplinary expertise. This team will ensure we meet that need, delivering transformative solutions and building on our existing strengths in creativity, design, customer experience, product development and brand storytelling. I can’t wait to see how their leadership will shape the next chapter of AKQA’s journey.”

This announcement follows AKQA's new global structure, unveiled at the end of 2024, which was designed to integrate AKQA’s capabilities more seamlessly and enhance its ability to deliver innovation at scale. These leadership appointments are a key step in ensuring that vision is realised, bringing the best minds together to drive the future of creativity, technology, and strategy.